The present invention relates to an apparatus for controlling input of a textile softener in a washing machine and a method thereof, and more particularly, to an apparatus and a method thereof, which provides convenience for a washing machine user and improving effect of inputting a textile softener in the laundry by informing the user of input time of the textile softener during the last rinsing course.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a rinsing indicator in a conventional washing machine and a process operated by pushing a key for rinsing when the number of rinsing is selected by a user. The frequency of rinsing can be selected between one to four times. A basic process of the rinsing comprises steps of "drainage" for draining water, "intermittent dehydration" for gradually increasing revolution of a washtub by repeatedly turning on and off a washing motor, "dehydration" for dehydrating water from the laundry, "pause" for pausing for full stop of inertial revolving force of the washing drum after predetermined dehydration duration, "water-supply" for supplying water, and "rinsing" for rinsing soupy water and contaminant by shaking the laundry. Selection between one to four times are available after water-supply and rinsing steps are selected.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a process according to rinsing frequency in the conventional washing machine. When "1-rinsing" is selected, a sequence of drain, intermittent dehydration, dehydration, pause, dehydration, pause, water-supply, and rinsing is performed one time. When "2-rinsing" is selected, a "rinsing stroke" consisting steps of drain, intermittent dehydration, dehydration, pause, water-supply, rinsing is repeated twice. When "3- or 4-rinsing" is selected, the rinsing stroke is repeated as many as the number.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a process according to the frequency of rinsing strokes for facilitating an input of textile softener in the conventional washing machine. When rinsing of 1 or 2 times are selected, the process is the same as that shown in FIG. 2. However, when 3- or 4-rinsing are selected, steps of the intermittent dehydration, dehydration and pause are omitted in the rinsing stroke of the 2-rinsing process.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an operation panel when a washing course changes in the conventional washing machine. Courses consisting of "fuzzy," "custom," "enzyme," "blanket" and "wool" are displayed on a washing course selection display unit 2a installed in an operation panel 1a. When a power switch is pushed on, a "fuzzy" course is lighted and selected. Under this state, a user can select a necessary washing course since a course consisting of custom, enzyme, soaking, blanket, wool and fuzzy successively proceeds by pushing a course key 3.
In the meantime, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a detachable softener case 5 for inputting textile softener by a user is arranged at the upper portion inside of a washtub 4. When a washing machine is operated after softener case 5 containing textile softener is installed in washtub 4, textile softener contained in softener case 5 is overflowed and contained a first compartment 6 when an acceleration force of revolution is generated in washtub 4 during the steps of intermittent dehydration and dehydration in "rinsing stroke." After the rinsing stroke, textile softener in first compartment 6 is overflowed and contained a second compartment 7 when an acceleration force of revolution is generated in washtub 4 during the steps of intermittent dehydration and dehydration in the next stroke. That is, when the 2-rinsing is selected in FIG. 2, the textile softener contained in softener case 5 is passed into first compartment 6 when a revolution force of washtub 4 increases during the steps of intermittent dehydration and dehydration in the first "rinsing stroke." Then, in a pause step, the revolution of washing drum 4 stops; water is supplied; and the next rinsing step proceeds. In the second rinsing stroke, the textile softener in first compartment 6 passed to second compartment 7 during the increase of revolution force in the steps of intermittent dehydration and dehydration of the second rinsing stroke. Then, the revolution of washing drum 4 stops, water is supplied and rinsing proceeds during the pause period after the dehydration step finishes.
Here, the textile softener in second compartment 7 is drained to washtub 4 through an opening 8 at the lower side of softener case 5, and well-mixed with the laundry during the rinsing step.
Also, when the 1-rinsing is selected, a pause step is arranged after the steps of intermittent dehydration and dehydration to stop washtub 4 and again dehydrate so as to perform acceleration twice, so that the textile softener in softener case 5 is passed into second compartment 7 and the textile softener is well-mixed with the laundry by performing water-supply and rinsing steps.
On the contrary, when the 3-rinsing is selected, the textile softener well-mixed with the laundry in the second rinsing escapes during the intermittent dehydration and dehydration steps of "rinsing stroke" in the third rinsing, so that the textile softener becomes much ineffective. When the 4-rinsing is selected, no effect of the textile softener remains since the above step repeats twice.
To compensate for the above-described demerits of FIG. 2, when the 3- or 4-rinsing is selected as in FIG. 3, the steps of intermittent dehydration, dehydration and pause are omitted during the second or second and third times of the rinsing. Though the textile effect improves, however, a fundamental function "rinsing" becomes inferior.
As described above, in the conventional washing machine, the poor textile effect is obtained in case of selecting the 3- or 4-rinsing course, and use of softener case 5 is inconvenient. Particularly, the softener case installed at inside of washtub 4 cannot be found easily, and using softener case 5 by putting textile softener therein does not well-known to users. Further, the controlling system as shown in FIG. 3 which compensates for the input of the textile softener shows better input effect of the textile softener, and however, rinsing function is much inferior, leading to lowering of products reliability.